Wolfgang Puck Discusses Spago and Brand Building

12/11/2013 2:15PM

Legendary chef Wolfgang Puck talks to the Wall Street Journal's Lee Hawkins about how he built his famous Spago restaurants and turned his name into an international brand. He also gives advice to young aspiring chefs and restaurant owners on how to survive and thrive in the restaurant business.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

I ... Ch ... Ch ... they know the Austrian celebrity chef and entrepreneur has built the Empire ... I sat down with him to discuss how we built it and God is in fact on the cooking ... we talked about your younger days when you came in ... I when you were cool to ... in Monaco ... and places throughout Europe tell me about that and what I found in Delhi in Austria and knighted mathematician am the mother was the chef also sittin located in the family which are both awesome baseless found some of my mind I'd who went to visit and that's I think I have to be my first ... interest into cooking ... and then I was seventeen I left for France ... spent seven years in France and West Omnicom upended by mnemonic Global Mining and Lexington Pattison than an ... eyesore this American movies have imported all for cutting back and they shall run and I said I wanna get rich too when they die pick a day like today several days so ... I Diana office to look in the US on the New York would likely ... and said ok I'm leaving pies I'm going to New York and I'm really The like me you look at the beginning of this is such a beautiful city says how do these really knew when to call it financing costs ... I'm at the fennel of the racing that's why it was among the team on Apple to ... go with it all was pleasant aam icing I wanted to get a SkyDrive up and I didn't have any money so that means money for the debt ... and now ... so when I am somewhat in New York and told me ... we have a job offer for you if you want in Indianapolis ... so that was in nineteen seventy four and I said ... I'm going to Indianapolis ... so took the Greyhound bus when to Indianapolis and a write down the said oh my God this is something they may not like Monaco and I told ... what to many different yet but ... that's the thing about you is that you have that your story is not on like a lot of entrepreneur we just started awesome on hand injury ... in you go to the end there was a really another example of a chef that had ... expanded vertically and horizontally so fast I know what to do while to get there ... who inspired you to ... wannabe ... you know is this a ... YouNow defrost high end up with a memo chefs owning Don't restaurant is something fairly new ... in France and in the Nortel you know we all headed out of the war you had the from Ike will present some other people but mostly ... he was run by businessman from man made any is whatever the Ray Allen about the calling them ... and the chef was somehow forgotten in the kitchen in optionality in the so the summit that was the kitchen window air conditioned on us so ... that some of the change in the sixties in France when you had his ... chest most of it all gone what's possible is horrible with he and the vs day and saw ... and I'd talk to one unstoppable many an NCAA ... name on TV in really ... he was gone off the restaurant of the new was that he had to restaurants ... or so at what though they did before he will so ... he was clearly born inspired meal was like my mentor and he had ... the fewest gonna be headquarters priced but today was remade on olive oil in the main one ... he did so many different things and I said ... I wanna be like this ... one you know I won on my own restaurant ... maybe it's me some rest and has a smaller one next to the door so ... but I knew it would be difficult to do it in France said maybe one day in America ... but did you have an issue you would get this be ... you know ... when the first open spiral up on something for LA City two years ago was that ... it was so difficult ... just a one-on-one restaurant you know we had the pro everywhere people called me up and at the end of this thing because I didn't get them and they would then said ok capitalists have been the baby had not they would have to wait that now is the boss that must ... be a hub at Himalayas is set ... to open down on sunset Blvd says I don't know what a mad ill effects to yesterday everybody a ... demo at the press in Alabama happy so ... but three months later also ... was six months they have some type of these people came to me and this one open and it is ongoing Tokyo ... but the token will open a restaurant if I would be the weekend when this one right ... so ... op IAEA the ... business think about it became a hike in nine months of a six month lay down with the plant's expected it when I hit my kitchen layout and everything investment basically ... you one open at a restaurant ... in Japan has five when Japan as a new items in the success of this and what you know with the the open in with all the bounty ... with uni ... which I did the high cost of meals and the rest on so-called fear I didn't sing lead to anything you know now ... it was basically I was trying to find one last thought ... so and and I said okay let's do it that given that it's so ... but at that level it is some of them but found that she know not having a real Christian walk him up to me to enter human openness eyeballing some money from massive am tired of openings along with the promise that Japanese one is ... now one more the Fed that the open a Chinese restaurant ... that sort of you know what ... that would be going to go away because they didn't want it to them and wanted to for a Chinese restaurant ... this is out of the data said I don't care what you do it in order for them to go and sell ... in at eighty two in China the open spot low Dan DLA DeVry open spot when Tokyo ... and then in September takes actually now Citi years ago the open chain on ... NJR was the first fusion restaurant ... with a Chinese chef I didn't go to China Hong Kong when you have to explain anything at Tesco the way I in them the Pope so ... I had my French techniques which I knew really well ... and the use or dissertation into the hands and rest crisis and are pinching on and it was really ... they ... first restaurant off the job they are unique mix east and west of data what's ... fascinating about you though is that it was your name that really exploded with the rest are my half ... Wolfgang Hauck Express and ... all of these proud to license your first book was in nineteen eighty one thing just exploded from there ... what inspired them to to put your name with the rest ... you know it just can just like a coast to sign a new agenda of a everybody down ... knowns who didn't sign at John Dan if you know it's cause I have been so use anonymous which amounted to Ben Fox are going well then I guess is synonymous to be cut ... by most but the restaurant order time I'm not the person who is hiding some been in office and ... what does the computer ... and see what's going on financial aid community leaders ... I never miss to it it's much easier that they much walk off the island off the pain the kitchen ... stated that cooking on is my favorite of of what I do ... and that is the case with a lot of the celebrities that I deal with the people who ... realize what they are at their core like comedians friends since they never stop doing stand out because they realize that that's the core of what they say they can ... but now as you ... when you think that to the idea that they would in a row open up this restaurant without you ... I did you learn the lesson about ... owning your intellectual property ... watch and it paid and so I saved and we at high aam trademark baby know the name and maybe in Germany and France the eleventh grade five piano ... so why NAFTA everywhere that have the money that because that that gets them ahead something that the pagan Roy had an office that they get the Nortel realize that ... there's this crazy you know I spend ... my time looking and then defending some things some that ... I've that somebody can open a spot on the president of the meimei was seen on site on in Vietnam ... one time and that Dan had a comical me amount of stuff that the red with no doubt that was fine ... well ... Amanda have them up for open it amazing and you know if I'll get you ... what is this good in bed in the way you know it's like somebody is taking advantage of fuel but then on MSN but he found somebody ... would do we do really well and he would make the bed I think it's the it's the it's the financing but it happens all the time ... I was in Manchester this um up my assignment of Manchester United not Suffolk and ... we go to an Italian restaurant down ... I look at the menu ... and they have sparkled beats on the menu ... so it's my wife getting last minute to Wednesday's final piece of the best outcome for ... and a guy send all went out on upbeat fest Icahn inside ... say anything ... and if anything happening in the loan which is the BBC deal food ... I will be informal uses for the most famous pledge to you know I walked into one of his restaurants ... and I looked there was a small town on the itself on a ... pickup ... on sunset for what is that ... as a joke I was laughing ... the the the Nobel Prize for me to go for a meal or something ... keep what made him a hero ... I'd open it and sets are hoping someone that smoke someone and one the backs of the cell ... I said you know what this is quite an honor because ... Indio time ... everything was exported ... to America ... you know French restaurant is tiny and Western and Chinese restaurant you name it ... we didn't really have much okay ... cooking style South Korea ... the head ... doll indications out but that was really was just a really limited to this they found in Louisiana ... and so I saw him and is is really an amazing thing today that all of us and we can go in IPO ... and though some of the mentions Mead it cannot get using them them ... but when you're in name so inextricably tied to the restaurant and he continues to get bigger and bigger and bigger ... people know that they want when you when ... they want the ingredients ... in your specialty ... I've that you've made things ... so I did keep a check to make sure that everybody who's licensing from you in working with you in some capacity ... keeps the standards up to walking cops ... you know the most complex restaurants like fine dining we don't license from your mind the more we signed a management contract with separate the for seasonal about a boy as top ... bail out money no Bay Sands in the Hong Kong Loic to forty five ha plane in London ... but even though they fall away but the random and that this ... and now that they employ some of them we have to license because if not we would not get the space is made if it could ... to get into spaces in airport then do ... we want to do more and hopefully one day be can land them a hundred percent but ... it is that they can even at the appellant's op I found out the best way to Cointreau did is we make or just to be made for their son of financing to be made fifty said no ... we make the cheese makes to remake the press to remake the tomatoes also ... somebody so can mess it up but the chances on limited so now I know when it's so close to laying ... in bed but though I express upscale said United eyeing notice to ... be that ... instead of this be the same in Chicago and ascension is all that I will be on so I think ... to really ... make it for over a hundred percent is impossible ... even like yet spotlights in August I'm that doesn't mean that every dish ... but what the Hunter percent when the time you know everybody can ... ah maybe Opel one thing and then another co convenor of the data that too much salt of too much but whatever it is so ... upbeat trying really to make of this for both as possible ... and I think ... the most important thing is to train the people in the right way ... and ... have continuing the UB have been a little soft on Okla I have people like me forsythia ... I am just at the UN investigation on ... up on Tuesday ... and ... the managers the same was on the heels of one of the restaurant now ... the chef is that twenty six years ... the pastry chef is new with his fifteen years they have ... some of the bus was the death instead opening coming debt show that my will to do ... so it's really an amazing that I'll wait the wine business because we have such fun the new EP because we keep the people around and I was so ... it is fed up to pay the people when it would do a great show aam ... been constantly training new people and I think that's really the most important saying when I decide really is an abyss NCR ... but I decided to expand that said okay ... I cannot go anywhere ... so now I'm a TV show for the half to my Papa also and I'm it's my pop and that baby province and some copper ... so we have to partnerships or teach or investments and like to beef up this morning the now boasts the long arm of the Hong Kong begun opening on on a ... first or posting a pool or non known Atlantic City Detroit and let ... the goal was and then I can go in twice the store display since and now ... this in sickness and Onyx he would vote for the places to look at the dining room ... this morning and I have to die ... this only when that's the wind is for them so ... we had big local people ... who really ... can run the place to store and teach that the press and visit them often so that that everybody really this up don't spend because ... IMM in Japan at the beginning when you open you know we eat up the fish market death but ... when I left ... doughnut said no that's not by the ... most expensive thing we can buy something a little bit less than that of the last of it fast ... it's not in front of me proud and then ... it was different now ... was there someone early in your career that work with you are helping set up the businesses and ... CTU the business either did you already have that now ... my mother whenever that ... it fourteen she told me you know what can ... you just remember you have to make football was more money than you spend a new estate business and you will asleep ok ... and my mother was always like that ... you know ... it's not like the less and less spent more than what we have ... so when I first on its possible for example ... I in nineteen eighty to engender even be open to be started in twenty sixteen fraud ... I'd be afraid of the have ninety six and for all this ... and with the same size and some basic ... it's not everybody was looking fake basically sixteen hours a day so they look really that train people in other people to it and the dignity of ... the island on the ... what about for the diversification for the cookbooks and the TV show said ... all of the things that you did franchise why ... did you do opt all of that yourself or did you have to bring out the the I have ... I had for many people who are we any good at something like what's happened show is that with my Papa ... and will impact book wide beverage to realize this is like a pop up and things like that ... he comes from the accounting side ... eyes ... so really he comes from the money aside like if we would have won a company when it would be a chief financial officer ... and Hino was also help to make money there ... you can cut ... costs and that you cannot cuts ... cut costs ... but I think if I would have gone maybe too well from business school or I might have been much fun ahead who knows but ... maybe not maybe a little sequester creativity you know what it is so so because I have deep reform of of miss school ... and wanted I almost put me back up ... so you know it was really difficult because I believe in what they showed me on the spreadsheet ... now ... the spreadsheet is easy to make to execute ... this to cough up a special in the restaurant business that you can say ... if I have to come to the office on Apple opened up on that fine dining restaurants over the next ... five years ... the possibilities down but I wouldn't have enough chips that would have enough managers would not have enough pastry chefs ... so ... maybe out of the hundred twenty will be run really well ... and data on similar imploded dystopia so the eggs and Sony ... do you worry about expanding too much to me is there a limit that you say you know why I think that this is the point that I can go to ... before spread too thin ... been evidence that power ... I think for me it's been in the most important thing is to get a new comment on Economy chest high and annual ... base to show for the company ... it's expensive ... but well worth it ... you know he's makes great bread he makes great sense of of of great taste is ... what is more important than any single ... he is a guy who will this twice to make new Saints ... and cool we have to have been a board ocean ... photo for me ... why did really modify ... a year ago exactly rally over the years yet says so I said why did the open because I knew ... the restaurant has the life span ... so I said you know what I knew we'd be totally didn't ... know enough to customize the new debt because disorder or so most of ... ID I'll miss the analysts estimate money and everything ... so ... I said it's time to change ... bandages to fourth grade to change everything ... so we closed on a bus to and ... toes for three months read it WS funded by the Penn and is there one on the sign in here from time to rest ... do would be a NPA and ... and really open up and he gets the hosting in your life but it also has a new life to me ... because I know ... if I would have to get the same time Nobel we would have gone we would have been at the restaurants in the day ... just like what is on a regular really believe this dress ... that we ... simply don't like this without ... any case he made out change ... debt and a few restaurants will cancel wife Judy forty fifty years ago changed out if you are desolate a few exception endeavors ... I think if we would not change ... we would go out of business right away but maybe ten more years ... but I don't wanna be chosen or Sauron ... the icing that I it's a loan to someone stayed ... out when the state government when the state of people say wow ... you wanna go to spot would guess that is doing its best daily meant the news and still having exciting things on the menu ... what are you broken into TV in you've done you've you've acted in ... all kinds of things you've been on top she asked ... there's this whole phenomenon ... of people trying to basically ... be ... you would be ... the next Wolfgang up ... what you think about the phenomenon of reality TV ... what that's doing is that good for ... your profession or not ... you know they aren't good TV is certainly good to get people interested in the fourth book and it made being a coke being a share up to be a base on top of the pressure ... because the blessing of all ... the next ten years I've been nom ... de on TV and I would open my own restaurant and everything one of the EC now ... just like in sports not many of these people are actually Campion Neelie Keystone cops Apple would only this I think V a few big that connection when don't business awful ... fall that whether they submitted the plan that people would say what we have to try this place this ... person is doing really an amazing job ... but a Singaporean or it had to ... be spoken shows have to be a positive on ... effect on on a lot of restaurants ... because it brings ... many more some on people into all professions best before they would have become going of some top design genius ... noticing that one of the shaft is Eric ample people that say ... when you diversify away new user name to ... the licensees and all of those things ... that ... it's not as fewer ... never criticized for spending so much ... you know ... I think stunned him I am and is calling me one day ... because I was talking about him and what did it ... and he said you know pretty ... the I like you it makes me know what they can ... and ... that ... they you know I stink ... we open to criticism and Midea every minute now because with and I phone ... you can use the grounds on Facebook where I when is ... everyone is different when they get a replacement for the Cup the restaurant so we have to think everybody is excited now and say you know what what get to this site for some people in the West are just going to now ... I found ... you know what the menu and that it's gonna be quiet for a long time ... and I ... and silly ... and big Chinese the Chinese and noise is money ... and did shooting days ... I wanna go to our estimates of my ... you know what I stay home and Taiwan decline in the evening I stay home and intimate my wife and home and ... the kids that sleep or not is fine did you know the formula that you ... have put together and it's worked ... so I sent the sources critics out there who want everything I think we have to stay focused ... on what we want to be ... how we want to run a restaurant what would they want to self and how we wanted to make ... any lead executed really well ... people will come ... what can we expect from you in the next five years ... I see it next five PS one Company O'Toole expand ... meltdown many possibilities with spending in the Middle East and the winds the Press Trust on reopening next morning ... then in Doha uniform ... then the hoped for in Shanghai ... so what what the new extended fine dining be awesome but I put the new ... so we invented mule Ford for misses the mark ... I'd just high-end the company to design a whole new packaging ... it away people would look at us ... because I think fall many years ... I made ... for some proposal is as preventive around the shop that opened a similar to that of all ... I made iced coffee like in in now ... time trust fund payments ... they don't like the stomach something ... and I finally sat down ... this beginning of the Siena springtime ... that said you know ... you've read one of the success or be should be different ... the push on motorists of the market should go and buy something and think that this is really different and it pays better ... but the protection of data so if you would ... be a messy this engine into it really come up to one billioneight at the end of today so you'll have to have the ponied engine ... you hafta have or so days ... they have rested ... ok will stink up what I really love about you is are still cooking ... everyday you haven't got too big for that ... why I think of the best of the fall of my life you know what I call for my family at home and about to go home ... a few times to ... my wife cooks to make that last Sunday and the US that any good and tilt the aforementioned FHA is an acknowledgment that the GOP and coffee ... but ... we don't define that just about the book the really skinny ... so I say got off to Phuket on one of the cooking the rice on ice and looking to fall most marketable to be seen off aam I'd go to ... the fish market ... I'd much rather do debt then go to Neiman Marcus shopping ... and that surpasses its ... whiteness of success I think so I think and I was really wondering when I was young ... if I could keep that passion ... Tuesday doubling what I'd you wanted to wait to show that you know not just talking about it ... and I think I'm so lucky ... that I still feel the same way about forty about the restaurant about people in China ... as I get that when I stop its eighty five years ago in the rest of the ... Red River taking the kids had taken a chance to show you how to make a good distance I've been ... sucked in ... OS are always so ago ... I think he's still in use ... and with Wolfgang puck on Lee Hawkins will see this ... it's it's ...